🐦🦝 Attracting Birds Without Attracting Raccoons

Smart Backyard Feeding in the Finger Lakes

If you live in the Finger Lakes, you already know:

Where there are birds…There are raccoons.

Raccoons are intelligent, determined, and surprisingly athletic. And once they discover your feeder, they don’t forget it.

The good news? You can absolutely enjoy backyard birds without turning your yard into a midnight raccoon buffet. Here’s how.

🌙 Why Raccoons Love Bird Feeders

Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores. That means:

• Seeds

• Suet

• Corn

• Peanuts

• Even spilled seed on the ground

…are all fair game.

They’re especially active:

• After sunset

• In early spring when natural food is scarce

• In late summer while bulking up

In lakefront and wooded areas around Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga, raccoons are common and comfortable near homes.

🏡 1. Use a Proper Pole System

The #1 mistake people make is hanging feeders from trees.

Trees = raccoon highway.

Instead:

✔ Mount feeders on a smooth metal pole✔ Use a baffle (a dome or cone-shaped guard) below the feeder✔ Keep poles at least 8–10 feet from structures

Raccoons can climb — but they struggle with properly installed baffles.

🪵 2. Skip Platform Feeders at Night

Platform feeders are easy access for raccoons.

If you use one:

• Bring it inside at nightOR

• Use it only during daytime hours

Tube feeders mounted properly are harder for raccoons to raid.

🌻 3. Manage Spilled Seed

Spilled seed is what attracts nighttime visitors.

To reduce mess:

• Use a seed tray catcher

• Rake or sweep under feeders weekly

• Choose higher-quality seed blends with less filler

Cleaner ground = less temptation.

🧀 4. Be Careful with Suet

Suet is high-fat and irresistible.

In raccoon-heavy areas:

• Use caged suet feeders

• Bring suet inside at dusk

• Avoid leaving it out overnight

• Woodpeckers will forgive you. Raccoons won’t.

  
  

💡 5. Light Isn’t a Reliable Deterrent

Many people assume porch lights scare raccoons.

They don’t.

Raccoons in the Finger Lakes are used to human environments. Light alone won’t stop them.

Physical barriers work better than scare tactics.

🦅 6. Consider Natural Bird Habitat Instead of Heavy Feeding

Native plants, shrubs, and seed heads support birds without creating concentrated food sources that draw mammals.

Adding:

• Coneflowers

• Serviceberry

• Elderberry

• Native grasses

…supports birds naturally while reducing raccoon traffic.

❄️ Winter Feeding Tip

Winter is when birds truly need feeders.

If raccoon activity increases:

✔ Bring feeders in overnight✔ Rehang at sunrise✔ Store seed in sealed metal containers

Consistency keeps birds happy — without rewarding raccoons.

🌊 Why This Matters in the Finger Lakes

Living near water, woods, and farmland means wildlife is part of daily life.

The goal isn’t to eliminate raccoons — they’re part of the ecosystem.

The goal is balance.

Feed birds safely.Protect your setup.Respect the wild.

🌅 Final Thought

You can absolutely enjoy cardinals in the snow, goldfinches in summer, and bluebirds in spring — without hosting a raccoon feast every night.

A few smart adjustments make all the difference.

Because backyard birding should feel peaceful… not like a midnight wrestling

match with a trash panda.

🌲 Lakes Eleven Trading Co.

Rooted in the Finger Lakes. Designed for outdoor living.

From birdhouses to feeders to thoughtful yard design, we believe wildlife-friendly spaces can be beautiful and balanced.